The Fianchetto Variation is a variation of the Sicilian, Dragon Variation, catalogued as ECO B70. The line runs 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. g3 Bg7 7. Bg2 O-O, reaching the position shown below after 14 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on e4. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is White to move after seven moves. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted.
On the Sicilian, Dragon Variation generally: One of the sharpest openings in chess. Black fianchettoes the bishop to g7 creating a 'dragon' formation. The Yugoslav Attack leads to opposite-side castling and mutual attacks.
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The Fianchetto Variation goes 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. g3 Bg7 7. Bg2 O-O. It is a variation of the Sicilian, Dragon Variation and is catalogued as ECO B70.
The Fianchetto Variation is ECO B70. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the Sicilian, Dragon Variation.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. g3 Bg7 7. Bg2 O-O at +0.24 at depth 18, which is balanced. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.
White holds the centre with pawns on e4. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is White to move. Black has castled while White’s king is still uncommitted.